2 Corinthians 1:8-10 - "For we do not want you to
be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were
burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life;
indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not
trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who delivered us from
so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our
hope. And He will yet deliver us"
All throughout the book of Second Corinthians Paul talks about the various trials and persecutions that have come against him. But even in the trials Paul recognizes that God had a purpose for each one. Paul endured things that no human being on earth by their own strength would be able to endure. In the verses above he says that they were burdened beyond their own strength and despaired even of life, but even that was in order that they would not trust in themselves but in God who is able even to raise a person from the dead. God doesn't want us to rely on ourselves or our strength in anything. Jesus said in John 16:33 - "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." We are guaranteed tribulation in this world, but He also promises that in Him we can have peace because He has overcome the world.
In 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 Paul gives a summation of some of the things he has endured and it's quite a list - "In far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?" He realized that he could endure nothing in and of himself but, as he wrote to the Philippians, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." 2 Corinthians 4:8-11 - "we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh."
God will sometimes bring upon us more than we are able to handle to keep us from trusting in our own strength or to keep us from exalting ourselves. If we're given something that's too big for us then we have no choice but to throw ourselves upon Him, and He can accomplish so much more then we ever could. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Paul says - "Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong." This is a strange idea and it's contrary to our natural mindset. I don't like the idea of being weak but Jesus Himself told Paul that His power is perfected in weakness. If His power is perfected in our weakness then it should be our desire to be weak in order that He can be strong through us. Again, this isn't our natural inclination, and the only way we can bring about this mindset is to focus on the eternal rather than the temporal. Focus on heavenly things not the things of the earth.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 - "Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
All throughout the book of Second Corinthians Paul talks about the various trials and persecutions that have come against him. But even in the trials Paul recognizes that God had a purpose for each one. Paul endured things that no human being on earth by their own strength would be able to endure. In the verses above he says that they were burdened beyond their own strength and despaired even of life, but even that was in order that they would not trust in themselves but in God who is able even to raise a person from the dead. God doesn't want us to rely on ourselves or our strength in anything. Jesus said in John 16:33 - "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." We are guaranteed tribulation in this world, but He also promises that in Him we can have peace because He has overcome the world.
In 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 Paul gives a summation of some of the things he has endured and it's quite a list - "In far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?" He realized that he could endure nothing in and of himself but, as he wrote to the Philippians, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." 2 Corinthians 4:8-11 - "we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh."
God will sometimes bring upon us more than we are able to handle to keep us from trusting in our own strength or to keep us from exalting ourselves. If we're given something that's too big for us then we have no choice but to throw ourselves upon Him, and He can accomplish so much more then we ever could. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Paul says - "Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong." This is a strange idea and it's contrary to our natural mindset. I don't like the idea of being weak but Jesus Himself told Paul that His power is perfected in weakness. If His power is perfected in our weakness then it should be our desire to be weak in order that He can be strong through us. Again, this isn't our natural inclination, and the only way we can bring about this mindset is to focus on the eternal rather than the temporal. Focus on heavenly things not the things of the earth.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 - "Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
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